Rejuvenile: Kickball, Cartoons, Cupcakes, and the Reinvention of the American Grown-up

by Christopher Noxon

Once upon a time, boys and girls grew up and set aside childish things. Nowadays, moms and dads skateboard alongside their kids and download the latest pop-song ringtones. Captains of industry pose for the cover of BusinessWeek holding Super Soakers. The average age of video game players is twenty-nine and rising. Top chefs develop recipes for Easy-Bake Ovens. Disney World is the world’s top adult vacation destination (that’s adults without kids). And young people delay marriage and childbirth longer than ever in part to keep family obligations from interfering with their fun fun fun.

Christopher Noxon has coined a word for this new breed of rejuveniles. And as a self-confessed rejuvenile, he’s a sympathetic yet critical guide to this bright and shiny world of people who see growing up as “winding down”—exchanging a life of playful flexibility for anxious days tending lawns and mutual funds.

In Rejuvenile , Noxon explores the historical roots of today’s rejuveniles ( all roads lead to Peter Pan), the “toyification” of practical devices (car cuteness is at an all-time high), and the new gospel of play. He talks to parents who love cartoons more than their children do, twenty-somethings who live happily with their parents, and grown-ups who evangelize on behalf of all-ages tag and Legos. And he takes on the “Harrumphing Codgers,” who see the rejuvenile as a threat to the social order.

Noxon tempers stories of his and others’ rejuvenile tendencies with cautionary notes about “lost souls whose taste for childish things is creepy at best.” (Exhibit Michael Jackson.) On balance, though, he sees rejuveniles as optimists and capital-R Romantics, people driven by a desire “to hold on to the part of ourselves that feels the most genuinely human. We believe in play, in make believe, in learning, in naps. And in a time of deep uncertainty, we trust that this deeper, more adaptable part of ourselves is our best tool of survival.”

Fresh and delightfully contrarian, Rejuvenile makes hilarious sense of this seismic culture change. It’s essential reading not only for grown-ups who refuse to “act their age,” but for those who wish they would just grow up.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sociology, Pop Culture, Psychology, Society

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Christopher Noxon is an author, journalist and illustrator.

He’s the author of the novel Plus One, which “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner called “well-observed, honest, and laugh-out-loud funny” and Rejuvenile: Kickball, Cartoons, Cupcakes and the Reinvention of the American Grown Up, which Ira Glass, host of public radio’s This American Life, called “an eye opener.” The book was featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, CNN’s “In the Money,” NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” and Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.”

As a journalist, he has written for The New Yorker, Details, The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, and Salon. He began his career in newspapers, working as an editor, enterprise reporter and arts critic for the L.A. Daily News, the Cape Cod Publishing Company and the Los Angeles Independent Newspaper Group, where he won two first-place honors from the LA Press Club for feature and news reporting. As a freelancer, he covered the Democratic National Convention for Reuters; lived as a patient with recovering addicts for a Playboy feature about troubles with drug rehab; wrote about marketing and new media for Kurt Andersen and Michael Hirschorn’s Inside.com; and was the first journalist to report on actor Mel Gibson’s ties to an ultraconservative Catholic splinter group in a feature for The New York Times Magazine.

His illustrations have been featured on the websites The Undo List and Modern Loss and the book Unscrolled: Writers and Artists Wrestle With The Torah.

Along the way, he has worked as a costumed character at Universal Studios, answered letters of complaint at L’Oreal cosmetics, and was director of communications for Michael Milken’s prostate cancer charity.

He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, television writer/producer Jenji Kohan, and their three children.

Reviews

[Bill Doughty · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a guy in his thirties who still reads comics, watches cartoons, and just yesterday ate apple pie for breakfast, I sort of felt it was necessary to read this book. Not so much to justify my existence, or even to find out why I don't always feel the need to put away childish things, but maybe just for the reassurance that yes, there are plenty of other people out there who do this same sort of thing every day. It's an easy but interesting read, and it's hard to come away from it without wanting to join an adult kickball league (closest one to me is in Providence... I checked).

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this is one of those books that I've owned for years, but never read and just before New Years, I pulled a stack of books off of my TBR shelf and put them on my bedroom shelf (small- reachable at night), and vowed to make a dent in my own unread book collection in 2020. I did the same thing in 2018, and still have a couple of those there, to give you some idea of how good I am at this (not at all good). I found it at a used book sale- probably a library sale, and the jacket DOES still sound interesting. The book itself wasn't the problem, so much as how dated it was (written at least 15 years ago) in terms of generational references. In one way, this was funny, but it was also pretty distracting because of outdated information. Overall, though, the book is about how adults play (or don't) in American society, and reads like a very long term paper. It had some interesting chapters, and points made about maturity and societal expectations and how they've differed for different generations, but overall, I didn't love this one-It was incredibly dry and a book about play should be more.... playful. 2 stars.

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very impressed by the honesty involved in this book. It's not easy to examine non-traditional behavior in yourself and get past the measure of shame instilled into you.
Noxon gave some great insights into how 'adulthood' and 'maturity' have not always been treated as the same thing, and further how adulthood's definition has morphed over the decades. (And even centuries!) It gave me a few things to think about in how I make decisions about my spending and life path. Introspective and such, just go read it so we can discuss it already. :)

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A look at why adults enjoy and, in some cases, devote themselves to, juvenalia such as Disney movies, video and tabletop gaming, skateboarding, etc.

Author Noxon proudly describes himself as a Rejuvenile, and, according to the terms laid down in the books, I'm one too. I've never been to Disneyland nor on top of a skateboard, but I play video games, I favor attachment over authoritarian parenting, and I enjoy playing with my children. That's all it takes, apparently.

Overall, I found Rejuvenile to be just an okay read. It's not compelling, nor does it break any new ground. Published in 2006, Rejuvenile predates the Great Recession and the rise of the Millennials, so it might be interesting to see an updated edition.

Footnote: Noxon is the husband of "Orange Is The New Black" showrunner Jenji Kohan, a fact I found almost as interesting as the book itself.

[David Shepard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was enjoyable. I had often wondered if I were alone in thinking that the life I imagined for myself when I was my parents age (or older, actually) seemed so distant. It turns out I am part of a whole generation for whom playfulness is a protracted state of being, not of mind. The author does a good job of not focusing on the pathological, but showing exactly why our youthful passions are so hard to give up, and why ultimately many people choose to give them up, for a lot of different reasons.

[Ann M. Matteson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yep, I'm a rejuveile and after reading this book, I'm okay with that. I love Scooby Doo, Mr. Potatohead, Pixar movies, blowing bubbles, and board games. I realized while reading this book that I wasn't into dolls as a kid and don't really like them now. All I wanted was books and all I pretty much want now are books. Guess it's a good thing I became a Librarian. Thanks for putting this on your list, Erin. It was a quick and good read.

[Joanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been wanting to read this FOREVER (well, for 3 years, according to Goodreads) and I finally did. Turns out I really like the title a lot, but would have been as satisfied by a solid few pages as I was by these couple hundred pages. Yeah, a lot of adults really like kid stuff these days. True. I’m a little disappointed that the author didn’t delve at all into the very popular trend in my cohort- adults, mostly women, reading “teen” fiction. Hunger Games, The Penderwicks, Flavia de Luce, and many many more sit on my shelves, for example. Instead we have a lot on video games, and bobbleheads, and outdoor sports-adjacent games like tag, kickball, ultimate frisbee. Meh. It diesn’t seem all that revelatory to me. But hey, rejuvenate+juvenile= rejuvenile, and I am quite charmed by that!

[Marjorie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw this book featured in scenes of the TV series Weeds (realized after reading the author's bio that he worked on that show, so big surprise...he plugged his book on the show).

The book explores the growing phenomenon of adults enjoying things & activities once regarded as for kids only.... (video games, playing "playground" type sports, having collections of things like baseball cards or dolls/action figures, etc) and whether it should be viewed negatively as a sign of immaturity/Peter Pan syndrome or positively as adults just having a renewed youthful enjoyment of life. I thought parts of it were interesting & enjoyable to read, although I did find myself bored in sections because I thought some of the info was repetitive.

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the chapter on Disney, which I started reading on the bus. Kind of skimmed through the rest, and something bothered me a little about the role of consumption in this whole new, childlike adult thing. Rather than playing with kids, or playing in general, a lot of it is about collecting things. And I think there is something a little annoying that comes through in some of the interviews about people thinking they're better people because they ride skateboards or make a living singing children's songs.

[Donnie Edgemon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author gets the point of the book across in the first 5 pages. I'm not sure what the next 260 are for, but they read like a mediocre college research paper, just stacking example on top of examples, even when they don't fit the author's thesis.



I'm not sure I even agree with the part of the thesis about "rejuvenile" being a trend. It might just be the human condition, with the real trend of the infinite media abyss in the modern world and the proliferation of writers that need to fill it. This whole book kind of reads like a need to fill space.

[Gina Boyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise, and undeniably worth exploring. This would have made a fantastic article for the NYT Magazine or the Atlantic, but I don't think there was quite enough meat for an entire book. I felt like the author was repeating himself in order to fill space/make points, and I got a little bored.

I will be interested in seeing where this whole thing goes . . . what is the future of the rejuvenile, and what will happen to the US as the rejuveniles "come to power"?

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is actually quite juvenile but it makes some very interesting points that, I think, are right on target as to why so many mid-20's young adults are veering away from responsibility and independence. Gives you quite a bit to think about even if you are somewhat irritated by the author's smart-aleck treatment of the subject.

[Jennifer Shehane · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author took a subject that warranted a fourth of the time spent he on it. I feel like he's grasping at straws for examples of rejuveniles. Some of the people's lives he featured were interesting, but fell short of inspiring.

I wonder if he had a point in writing this book other than to tour the US giving sound bites for radio and TV shows. He should stick with magazine writing.

[Stacy]

Never Grow Up!

This is a general overview of the trend that makes seemingly "grown ups" still entertain aspects of youth. Why do those of us past 18 go to Disney, read Harry Potter, and collect the toys we once dragged around the house? Nixon doesn't have an answer, but talks of the importance of play, the stress of responsibility, and the sheer joy of goofing off.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a pretty interesting take on the generations of now. Some of the analysis is a little fluffy, and when he tries to tie skate boarding moms, Disney freaks, and adults who buy cupcakes together in one big bundle, it tends to fall short, but still, a fun, quick read.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book to read. I liked the author's comments taken from his personal life in addition to his research. He is the husband of the creator of the Showtime series Weeds. You see the book in some of the scenes.

[Max Ostrovsky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new. It's not so much the reinvention of the American grown-up, but more and better sophisticated toys, comics, etc.

And the several paragraphs devoted to sexual kinks like furries and men who dress up like babies - completely unnecessary and distracting to the author's main point.

[Kelly]

i want to read this because it's written by the husband of the creator of, and often seen on, the show "weeds", which i've been very into lately.

[Chary]

This sounds awesome!! I need to pick it up hopefully by the summertime at the latest!

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started out great, but then slowed and was almost impossible to finish.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a book about play it wasn't much fun.

[Stephen Dranger · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring. Substanceless. Provides a bunch of "hey did you ever notice" observations about the modern world with no insight or analysis, and fails to be entertaining enough to overcome that.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read about the kid in all of us as a social phenomenon.

[Jack Oughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

finishing this book, i feel like my life has been validated in some way

not sure if this is healthy or not

[Cathy Regular · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

[Sara Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woa.

[Jimmy · Rating 2 out of 5]

While there appears to be a great deal of research put into this book, it was mostly for naught. The author often generalizes and assumes his opinion must apply to all others. I personally couldn't name a single personal acquaintence who wouldn't fit under his label of "rejuvenile". Yet all through the book they're referred to as if they are outside of the mainstream; a new way of thinking to be reckoned with. The topic is too broad and carries far too many caveats to be turned into anything conclusive regarding the people to which it refers.